Carbonating apparatus



May 15, 1934.

CARBONATING APPARATUS Filed July 5, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l wi mm F. BOHANDY' 1,958,938

/ INVENffi. 8 v r n m,

ATTORN EYS.

May 15, 1934.

CARBONATING APPARATUS Filed July 5,1952 7 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2.

FIG. 5,

INVENi'OR.

A W Frank Bu'handy BYZ ATTORNEYS.

F. BOHANDY 1, 8,938

Patented May 15, 1934.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims. (Cl. 261-19) The present invention relates to an improved apparatus for producing carbonated or charged water such as for use in soda water fountains and the like; the primary object of the invention being to provide apparatus of this character which is of extremely simple construction, devoid of moving parts, and automatic in operation for producing a supply of carbonated water without requiring use of expensive and complicated mixing 0 equipment requiring frequent attention by an attendant.

A further object resides in the method of supplying gas and water under varying and regulated pressures to the carbonating or mixing container whereby the container will be automatically replenished with the gas and water thru a difierence in the gas and water pressures produced by withdrawing charged or carbonated liquid from the container for use.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved carbonating apparatus of this character which, after once being set in operation, 'will furnish a constant and properly carbonated supply of water without requiring further attention other than the replenishing-ofthe gas supply, and

which may be easily accomplished without interruption to withdrawal of carbonated water from the apparatus.

A further object of theinvention is to provide apparatus of this character wherein thecarbonating container is directly connected to the line leading from a city water supply main or the like, and the gas pressureline to the container having regulating means for varying the gas pressure in accordance with the pressure of the water supply so as to permit passage of waterinto the container, having a pressure when idle, greater than the pressure of the water supply.

A still further object resides in the specific arrangement of the inlet and outlet tubes. in the carbonating container wherebythorough mixing of the gas and water is accomplished without requiring further agitating means for properly charging the water with the gas.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description, taken in'. connection with the accompanying drawings, form- .ing a part of this specification and in which drawings:

Figure 1 isa viewpart in side elevation and part in section of the improved carbonatmg apparatus in its entirety, the section through the carbonating or mixing tank being taken substantially on the line 1-1 of Fi re 2.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view thru one of the check valves and taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an end view of one of the valve members of the check valves.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and wherein'similar reference characters designate correspending parts throughout the several views, the letter A designates a carbonating or mixing tank,

B a coupling head for the tank A,'C a source of gas supply for supplying gas to the tank A through the gas line D, E a water line connected with the tank A, and Fa dispensing line for carbonated water in the tank A and leading to the valved draft arm G.

The carbonating or mixing tank A may be of ordinary construction and embodies a cylindrical body portion 5 closed at its upper end by the top head 6 and at its lower end by the bottom head 7 provided with the usual base 8 whereby the tankmay be stood in an upright position. The top head 6 is provided with an axially disposed threaded opening 9 adapted to be closed by the coupling head B. The tank A is of course constructed so as to withstand considerable pressure. a

' The coupling head B is formed with a reduced, externally threaded portion 10 for threading into the opening 9 and a suitable gasket may be placed between the main body portion of the coupling head and the tank head 6 for sealing the joint. The coupling head is provided with three right angular passageways 11, 12 and 13 having their upper ends opening through the coupling head at angles of 90 apart as shown by dotted lines in Figure 2. The inner downturned ends of these passageways are preferably reduced in diameterand extend through the reduced coupling portion 10. Secured in any preferred manner to the lower end of the coupling portion 10 is a series of three tubes 14, 15 and 16 and these tubes have their upper ends respectively communicating with the passageways 11, 12 and 13. It will here be noted that the passageway 11 communicates with the water line E, 'the passageway 12 with thegas line D, and the passageway 13 with the dispensing line F. The tubes 14, 15 and 16 are of varying lengths and .105 extend down' centrally intothe tank A for about the distances shown in Figure 1. The tube 14 provides the water inlet tube and extends downwardly for only a short distance into the car-" bonating tank. This tube 141s closed at itslower end as at 20 and is provided immediately above its closed lower end with a series of slits 21 which cause the water entering the tank to be directed radially from the tube with an agitating action upon the charged liquid 22. The tube 15 forms a as inlet tube and extends well below the water tube 14 to a point about one-third the height of the tank. This tube 15 is also closed at its lower end as at 23 and is provided directly above its closed end with a series of slits 24 which cause the gas to be directed radially from the tube into the liquid 22. The tube 16 for communication with the dispensing line F forms a draft tube and has its lower end open. and extending to a point closely adjacent the bottom of the carbonating tank. It will be noted that the tubes 14, 15 and 16 extend downwardly into the carbonating tank in parallel spaced apart relation with the outlet of the gas inlet tube 15 being disposed at an elevation between the outlet of the tubes 14 and 16.

The coupling head B is provided with an axially disposed passageway 25 having a screw threaded upper end for receiving the stem of a pressure gauge 26 serving to indicate the pressure in the tank A.

The source of gas supply C preferably comprises the usual standard form of gas tank or drum 27 filled with carbon dioxide and having the valve head 28 as is customary with such gas The gas pipe 29 of the gas line D is connected at one end through a gas pressure regulator embodyingthe usual regulating valve 29'- and pressure gauge 30. A shut-off valve 31 is connected in the gas line closely adjacent the gas pressure regulator to control passage of gas through the gas line. The opposite end of the gas pipe 29 communicates with the gas passageway 12 through a check valve 32 permitting passage of gas into the tank A and preventing return of liquid from the tank into the gas line.

The water pipe 33 of the water line E communicates with the passageway 11 by means of a check valve 34 which permits fiow of the water in one direction only into the mixing tank A. The water line E may be connected to a source of water supply such as the water main of a city water supply. Connected in the water pipe 33 at the outside of the check valve 34 is a water pressure gauge 35 for registering thewater pressure in the line E, and a shut-oif valve 36 is provided in the line E at the outside of the pressure gauge 35. This valve 36 serves to shut off the water supply to the tank A for making repairs and such when thisbeconies necessary.

The check valves 32 and 34 are of identical construction and each embodies atubular body portion 3'7 in the form of a coupling sleeve. Threaded into one end of the coupling sleeve is a nipple 38 having a hexagon center 39 to'permit threading of the nipple into the coupling sleeve. The inner end of the nipple 38 is reduced in diameter as at 40 for attachment of a cap check valve 42 of conventional construction. These rubber checks 42 have the tubular shaped portion adapted to be secured about the reduced end portion 40 of the nipple 38 and have a substantially fiat fin 43 which is slitted as at 44 to permit passage of gas or fluid through the check in one direction onLv. As in Figure 4, fluid may only pass through the check valve in a direction from right to left.

The check valve 32 is connected at its inner end by a nipple 45 to the threaded upper end of the away 12, while the check valve 84. is

connected at its inner end by a nipple 46 to the upper threaded end of the passageway 11. The gas pipe 29 is connected by a reducer 47 to the nipple 38 of the check valve 32. The nipple 38 of the check valve 34 is connected to a T fitting g; forming a connection for the pressure gauge ZBy observing Figures 2 and 4, it will be seen that the check valve 32 permits passage of gas from the supp y C into the tank A, while the check valve 34 permits passage of water from the water line E into the tank A.

Thedispensing line F for withdrawing carbonated water from the tank A is connected at one end as by a suitable coupling 50 to the passageway 13 which communicates with the draft tube 16. The. dispensing line F may lead to any suitable sort of valved outlet and in the example shown, is connected to a valved draft arm G.

The gauges 26, 30 and 35 are preferably of like construction and in the example shown are ninety p u d gauges divided into divisions of ten pounds and which are sub-divided into divisions of five pounds. Figure 1 shows the apparatus in a normal condition of operation and it will be noted that each of the gauges 26 and 30 register seventy-one and one-half pounds pressure while the gauge 35 registers a pressure of seventy pounds. This condition of the gauges is only given by way of example and will vary 105 in accordance with the pressure of the water supply and desired character of the carbonated tliqllilizd to be withdrawn from the carbonating In the; installation and use of the apparatus, 110 the various elements of the apparatus are coupled in the manner shown in Figure 1 with the valves 31 and 36 closed, and the tank A in an upright position. If the apparatus is connected to a fluctuating city water supply, the pressure in the supply line may be determined by suitable gauges, or by subsequent reading of the gauge 35 when the apparatus is operating to determine the maximum pressure in the water line E, and in the example herein described, the maximum water pressure is assumed to be seventy pounds pressure. The valve 36 is then fully opened and the water permitted to pass thru check valve 34 until the tank A is filled to a point preferably slightly more than one-half of its capacity. It 125 may here be well to state that the amount of water placed in the tank A at its initial filling is immaterial to efiicient operation of the apparatus altho it ispreferred that sufficient water he admitted to prevent excessive or over charging of the water. Assuming that the maximum water pressure of the fluctuating water supply to be known and to be seventy pounds, the regulating valve 29' is set to register a pressure of seventy-five pounds on the gauge 30 and which 135 as will be noted is five pounds greater than the maximum water pressure.

The gas entering the tank A combines with and causes the water to produce the charged or carbonated liquid 22 in the well known manner. The surplus gas passes upwardly and is entrapped in the upper portion of the tank. This condition of initially charging the tank continues until thepressure in the carbonating tank is raised to a pressure of seventy-five pounds 145 equaling the gas pressure. When the tank pressure registered on the gauge 26 exceeds the maximum water pressure, no water will fiow into the tank until the time when the tank pressure is below the water pressure. a 5

The apparatus is now in condition for use and to prevent over charging of the water, and permit entrance of water into the carbonating tank during operation of the apparatus, the regulating valve 29' is now set to register seventy-one and one-half pounds pressure upon the gauge 30 and which as will be noted is one and onehalf pounds greater than the maximum water pressure which is seventy pounds. This variation in gas and water pressures insures entrance of gas into the tank A against the maximum water pressure. When the valve of the draft arm G is opened, say to draw off a glass of the carbonated water from the tank A, the pressure in the tank drops to about sixty-four pounds and likewise does the pressure in the gas line D so that each o f the gauges 26 and 30 register an equal pressure of sixty-four pounds. This pressure as will be observed is below the maximum water pressure of seventy pounds. Therefore, when the carbonated water is drawn from the tank A, both water and gasfare permitted to enter the tank for a period of time until the pressure in the tank again builds up to the maximum water pressure.- Thus, the carbonating tank is automatically replenished with gas and water by a reduction in tank pressure caused by withdrawing carbonated water from the tank for use. In actual use, the pressure inthe carbonating tank builds up to the gas pressure in about two or three minutes and during which time water is entering the tank A. It will therefore be seen that the apparatus is entirely automatic in its operation. a

Referring now to the specific arrangement and different lengths of the tubes 14, 15 and 16, these tubes have beenarranged and constructed so as to insure proper mixing of the water and gas through an agitating action. It will be noted that the water inlet tube 14 terminates in the upper portion of the carbonating tank and is provided with the slits 21 which direct the water radially into the mixture 22 and creates a mixing effect. The gas inlet tube 15 terminates about one-third way up from the bottom of the tankand has the laterally opening slits 24 which direct the gas radially from the tube with an agitating action upon the liquid 22. The draft tube 16 terminates closely adjacent the bottom of the tank and is so spaced from the outlet of the gas tube as to prevent drawing of the gas directly into the draft tube. The water being discharged into the upper end of the tank will be fully carbonated or charged before being permitted to enter the draft tube at the lower end of the tank.

Thus it will be seen that an improved apparatus for carbonating water has been disclosed which will be entirely automatic in its operation for admitting gas and water into a carbonating tank having a draft arm connected thereto which when opened, permits entrance of gas and water into the tank for replenishing the supply therein. The apparatus is entirely controlled by thepressures of the gas and water supplies for the carbonated mixture and will require no attention other than renewal of the gas tank when required.

Changes in detail may be made to the form of invention herein shown. and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1 In apparatus for carbonating water, the combination with a carbonating tank, of a couplirig head in the upper end of the tank provided with a straight water inlet tube, a straight gas inlet tube and a straight draft tube projecting downwardly for-different depths into the tank, the outlets of the water and gas tubes, and the inlet of the draft tube being normally submerged in the liquid with the latter lowermost, the water outlet uppermost, and the gas outlet intermediate at an appreciable distance below the water outlet and a short distance above the draft tube inlet, said water, and gas inlet tubes each being closed at their extreme lower ends and provided adjacent their closed ends with a plurality ofsmall 1 outlets, and said draft tube being fully open at its lower end.

2. In apparatus for carbonating water, the com- ,bination of a tank having an axially disposed opening in its top side, a coupling head detach-- ably connected to the tank and closing said opening, and straight conductor tubes of like and uniform diameter thruout their length and varying lengths carried by the coupling head and providing a water inlet tube, a gas inlet tube and a draft tube, said water and gas inlet tubes being closed at their lower ends and provided immediately above the closed ends with longitudinally formed slits providing'radially opening restricted outlets for the water and gas.

FRANK BOI-IANDY. 

